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Nexus 5: common Lollipop problems and how to fix them

Kris Carlon2015-03-16T02:00:01Z2 weeks ago

Kris Carlon
Kris Carlon comes to the AndroidPIT Editorial Team via a lengthy period spent traveling and relying on technology to keep him in touch with the outside world. He joined the Android community while resurfacing in civilization back in 2010 and has never looked back, using technology to replace his actual presence in other people's lives ever since. He can usually be found juggling three phones at once and poring over G+ posts, Reddit and RSS feeds.

Though the Nexus 5 continues to be the pocket rocket for many Android fans, it's not without its fair share of bugs, Gremlins and peccadilloes. So we've rounded up the major Android 5.0 and Android 5.0.1 Lollipop problems and their solutions to help you get back on track. We'll add Nexus 5 Android 5.1 problems as they arise, so stay tuned.

How to fix Nexus 5 Android 5.0.1 Lollipop problems

The solutions below are generally geared towards the latest Android version bugs, but some of them will be persistent bugs from older Android versions. Generally speaking, the solutions will work no matter which version the problems appear in. But keep in mind that some bugs have been patched in later Android releases, so always make sure you have the latest firmware available for your device. To check, go to Settings > About phone > Software update.

First, back everything up

Lollipop on the Nexus 5 is a major upgrade to Android with some very big changes. That means it’s essential to take precautions before you upgrade your phone. In particular you should back up anything important - family photos, login details, contacts - and sync with any cloud services you use in order to make sure everything is up to date.

To back up your Nexus 5 data to a Google account:

Tap Settings > Backup & reset

Tick the box next to 'Back up my data'

If you haven't set up a backup account yet, tap Backup account when instructed, and enter your Gmail details.

No Silent Mode in Lollipop

One of the more perplexing decisions Google made with Android Lollipop was to remove the long-standing Silent Mode, which would normally be accessed by holding the Volume Down button on your phone for a few seconds. This is because Lollipop uses a new 'No Interruption' mode instead, which also removes LED notifications. Fortunately LED notifications are back in Android 5.1.

To enter 'No Interruption' mode:

Press a volume key on your Nexus 5

Tap None in the volume menu

Select whether you want to be in 'No interruption' mode Indefinitely or For [x] hours.

Another solution comes courtesy of one of our awesome community members from AndroidPIT.it, who made a nice little silent mode toggle for your Nexus 5 called Silent Mode Lollipop. It's simple and it works right from your notifications shade.

Wi-Fi and Connectivity issues

This tends to occur on every single Android update ever. For every phone. Every time. The solutions are just as slap-dash and temporary as always too: toggle airplane mode on and off, forget and reconnect to your Wi-Fi network, toggle mobile data on and off, or reboot your phone.

Another possible solution is to change your Wi-Fi channel or even the whole Wi-Fi band between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz on your router.

Enter your router address into a web browser on a device that's connected to it (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).

Random app crashing

Following the Nexus 5 Lollipop update, several readers reported random app crashes on their devices. The main culprit for app issues following an update is the app or system cache. If there's one app in particular causing issues, go to

Settings > Apps > [app name >

On the 'App info' screen, tap Force Stop and Clear Cache

If the problem persists, you may need to reinstall the app, or wipe your phone's cache partition from Fastboot Mode (this won't cause you to lose any data). To enter Fastboot Mode:

Turn your Nexus 5 off, then then press and hold Power and Volume Down buttons as you're turning it on.

A dark screen with several options should appear. use the volume buttons to navigate to Recovery Mode and press the power button to select it.

Hold the 'volume up' key for a few seconds until a new menu appears

Use the volume keys to highlight Wipe Cache Partition and select it with the power button.

Battery drain issues

A battery drain issue following an Android update! Whoever would have thought? This problem follows each Android update like day follows night. The simplest solution? Back up your apps and data (see first tip), install the update, do a factory reset, then restore your apps and data and enjoy a bug-free Lollipop experience.

To factory-reset your Nexus 5:

Go to Settings > Backup & reset > Factory data reset

Read the information, understand that all your apps and data will be wiped from the phone (but that's fine, because you backed them up), then hit Reset phone or Reset tablet

High RAM usage

Another performance bug that is relatively easy to fix is high RAM usage or sluggishness following the update. Again, like the random app crashes, the simplest solution to this problem is to go to Fastboot (see 'Random app crashing') and then wipe the cache partition.

Flashlight bug

Another one to be corrected in the Android 5.0.1 update, this little annoyance meant that if you kept the flashlight on until it timed out, both the flashlight and the camera app wouldn't work until you did a reboot. I wish I could say that Google got on top of this one quickly, but it was around way back in the developer preview. With Android 5.1 imminent, we're hoping that Google fixes this issue, for which there is no workaround.

Decided to stick with Android 4.4 KitKat? Still have problems? Here are those solutions too.

How to fix Nexus 5 problems on Android KitKat

Wi-Fi Connection Problems

This problem doesn’t just plague the Nexus 5, but almost every smartphone after their initial market launch. In order to fix the Wi-Fi connection from dropping or not working at all, we’ve got a few solutions for those users who connect with a router or have reported on slow or laggy connections.

Solutions

Activate airplane mode or deactivate Wi-Fi on your Android, wait a few seconds and then deactivate airplane mode or turn the WiFi back on. You can also reboot your device.

In the settings under Android, choose Wireless and Networks and then choose Wi-Fi. Select the connection that is being problematic and remove it from the list. Afterward, connect it again.

Change the network frequency, either by changing the settings on your router or Android device. To do this, choose WiFi from in the settings. In the overflow menu, select ‘Advanced’ and then Wi-Fi frequency band. The standard here is automatic, however the 5 GHz and 2.4 GHZ settings could help as well.

Problems with the speakers

The Nexus 5’s speakers are built on the bottom left side, while the microphone is on the right; it doesn’t have stereo speakers. Unfortunately, the audio quality leaves us wanting more, especially when listening to music, watching videos and even playing games. In many cases, the sound is quite muffled or simply just too quiet.

Solutions

The Nexus 5 was delivered with Android 4.4 KitKat and a few sound and speaker problems were resolved with the update to 4.4.1 or 4.4.2. In the settings, you can verify which version of KitKat is currently running your device under About Phone, then System Updates.

When using Google Play Music, you might be able to solve the problem by activating the equalizer settings. This could help you to improve the sound quality. According to some users, activating Surround sound also enhances the overall quality.

This may sound dumb, but when watching movies or playing games on your Nexus 5 in horizontal mode, it often happens that the speaker gets covered. Watch the positioning of your hand and rotate the device 180 degrees.

It also might help to try another app in order to see if this improves sound.

Activate Battery saving mode for Location. To do this, go into your settings and choose Location from the menu. Select Battery saving mode.

Problems charging: should your charging cable buzz or vibrate, overheat or not even charge your phone, then it is probably defective. You can also charge your Nexus 5 by connecting it via USB cord to your PC, while defective or damaged chargers should be replaced.

Overheating

Many users have reported that their Nexus 5 gets warm quite quickly and when playing music or using apps with hi-res graphics, it really heats up.

Solutions

After playing a demanding game for quite some time, it might help if you close the app and start your device again, which reduces the strain on your smartphone.

Avoid leaving or using your smartphone in direct light from the sun and a lamp as well as heaters. You might not want to leave it in a hot area either, like a car sitting in the sun.

While the phone charges, it’s best to not run any apps to keep overheating at bay.

If you find that your Nexus 5 also overheats while in sleep mode, there could be a defect. For safety’s sake, try exchanging the device or at least get it checked out by a specialist.

Camera Problems

The Nexus 5 camera has suffered from a whole host of problems, from the dreaded "mm-qcamera-daemon" battery drain issue, to nondescript stutters, lags and crashes. Some of them can be fixed by a quick software update in your settings > about device > software update page. Otherwise, check out our Nexus 5 camera problems and how to fix them article for all of the solutions you may need.

Rattling buttons and weak vibration

The speaker and power buttons are relatively loose on the Nexus 5, while a little bit of room for movement is completely normal. That being said, a few devices have been delivered with looser than normal buttons. There have also been reports on weak or defective motors which are either too loud or vibrate too softly.

Solutions

A case or cover can significantly help fix this problem, since the room for the buttons to move has been significantly reduced.

Vibration strength is a matter of taste, however when your Nexus 5 vibrates too much or too little, this could be caused by a faulty processor.

In the case of obvious defects, you can try contacting customer service for Google Devices.

Comments

The issue I have is that my mic stopped working shortly after the Lollipop upgrade. The 5.1 update didn't fix it. Basically, the person calling me can't hear me. Even the "Okay Google" command doesn't work. Only if you connect a headset with a mic or a Bluetooth earpiece that you can actually use the phone feature. Apparently, this is a common issue with many Nexus 5 users, yet there still is no fix. Strange how an OS upgrade disables the primary function of a cell phone... It's mic! I'm hoping this gets corrected soon. I'm planning to try to downgrade to Kit Kat a try to see if that works. If anyone has any helpful tips, please let us know.

I have this problem that my battery sometimes won't charge fully, even though it is charging all night. Apparently this is only when my original cover is closed. It appears that I when I don't shut my cover during the night it does charge fully. Does anyone else have this issue? What can I do to try and fix it?

I bought Nexus 5 last month. Right now i am facing issues in cellular network getting dropped frequently. I have choosen LTE (Recommended) in Preffered network option followed my switching off and On my device. But its of no luck. I dont have the APN settings. During the availability of network i have seen the APN settings.

Is the problem is with my handset or network ? Please advise as i bought it recently only :)

I bought it when google started N5 distribution in india. Problem increasing day by day now.1- battery drain2- Heating issue3- speaker less sound4- Heating issue5- Camera issue . its shows cant open camera app

I think google should start working on replacement of initial launch devices.

I recently got a N5 from a GNex. Its interesting as I keep reading about battery issues and Ive found my battery life is miles ahead of the old phone. My GNex and my Android phone before that was horrible. Even with minimal use, I could never even get past 2 or 3pm before it died. While the speakers on this phone still aren't great, they are substantially better than the GNex…and Ive found the screen so bright that when Im at home, I have to put it on 3% so it doesnt hurt my eyes. The location battery saver settings seem to work too and I don't find that affecting any appsI do keep having problems with the camera and gallery…and I hate Hangouts and the forcing of Google Plus on everything when I don't use it. And don't want people being suggested to me to text when I don't know any of them.I also wish they would let GOOGLE NOW work with more than 1 Google account. I have one personal/casual and one professional and thus don't get information with both

I have (had,now N6) first batch Nexus 5. recived mine a day after release and didn't had ANY problem expect the Google Play Services Battery Drain bug. Only when gps on and this is on all devices i tested!